Vehicle or implement pole



April 4, 1944. w. L. BRALEY VEHICLE OR IMPLEMENT POLE Filed July 16, 1941 BY [alum/3.

Patented Apr. 4, 1944 William L. Braley,

Springfield, Ohio, assignor to Oliver Farm Equipment Company, a corporation of Delaware Application July it, 1941, Serial No. 402,599 3 Claims. (01. 27838) The present invention relates generally to a novel and improved construction of vehicle and implement tongue or pole which is preferably made of relatively small gauge sheet metal and of a construction which willgive horizontal as well as vertical strength and resist torsional twist or strain.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved vehicle or implement pole or tongue which is light in weight and consists of two longitudinally extending members of identical cross section and configuration which when welded together form in effect a rigid draft member or pole which may be readily substituted for the conventional wood pole heretofore used.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved pole construction for vehicles or implements and the like made from relatively light sheet steel metal and consisting of two identical members having inwardly formed flanges located horizontally at different heights on the opposite sides and offset with respect to the center of the longitudinal vertical side of the pole proper so that bolt holes may be located vertically and horizontally in the center of the pole without interfering with the flanges and without decreasing the normal strength of the pole as a whole.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved pole construction for a vehicle, implement or the like, in which two longitudinally extending sheet metal members are formed of identical cross section and configuration having internally extending flanges and in which the complementary flanges of the opposite members are welded in spaced apart positions along the outside of the contacting flanges to form a complete pole.

These and other objects are accomplished by providing a construction and an arrangement of the various parts in the manner hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig 1 is a top plan view of my improved pole;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the same;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on the line 3--3 in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective View of a fragmentary portion of one of the longitudinal members.

In carrying out my invention I have shown my improved pole construction as comprising two longitudinally extending sheet metal members generally indicated by the reference character H].

These members ID are made from relatively light gauge sheet steel material of identical form in which the necessary apertures for providing attachments to the vehicle or implement or other parts are punched in the flat members. Each of the members consist of a longitudinally extending horizontal portion or wall as shown at II. This horizontal portion is slightly Wider at the rear end and gradually tapers toward the forward end so as to give the pole its conventional shape. Formed integrally with and at right angles with respect to the horizontal portion I l is a relatively short side wall I2. Bent inwardly and horizontally at the upper edge of the short wall I2 is in inwardly projecting flange I3. This flange I3 is positioned below or'offset horizontally with respect to the longitudinal center line of the side wall of the pole as a whole. Bent on the other side of the member ID and at right angles with respect to the horizontal wall member H is a relatively higher or wider side wall l4, which is arranged opposite to and parallel with respect to the relatively shorter side walls l2. Bent at right angles to and on the upper end of the side wall It is an inwardly projecting flange l 5 which extends parallel to the horizontal wall ll and offset upwardly with respect to the longitudinal and horizontal center of the opposite side wall of the pole as a whole. As heretofore stated, these two longitudinal members which go to make up the complete pole are identical in construction both as to shape and as to form so that the relatively high side wall M of one member is complementary to the short side wall l2 of the other member when each of these members are placed upon one another, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawing. It will be observed that the horizontal wall ll, of each of the pole members It, particularly at their rear end, is relatively wider at its rearward end and gradually tapers from the rear end to the forward end so as to give the pole the conventional shape of the wood pole heretofore used so that the same may be substituted in lieu thereof. When these longitudinal members are placed upon one another so that the complementary flanges l5 and I3 contact and are in alignment throughout their length, the contacting contiguous edges are spot welded on the outside as indicated by the reference character it at spaced intervals throughout their lengths and on both sides of the pole.

The forward end of the pole is provided with a U-shaped bracket which embraces the forward end of both pole members I U and substantially covers or encloses the open end of the pole proper. This U-shaped bracket I1 is welded as shown at l8 to the top and bottom surface of the pole. The rear end of the pole is provided with a similar U-shaped member [9 which substantially embraces and covers the rear opening of the pole proper. The opposite edge of the U-shaped bracket [9 engages the opposite side members or side walls of the pole members Ill and is welded thereto as shown at 20. In order to reinforce the bearing portion or apertures provided in the pole, suitable washers 2| may be welded in aligned apertures in the opposite members for providing suitable connections or for Whipple trees or other apparatus to be attached to the pole. v l

From the above description it will be seen that by providing two longitudinally extending identical complementary members made from relatively light sheet steel and shaped so as to form inwardly extending contacting and complemen tary flanges located off-center with respect to the normal longitudinal center of the pole proper and providing welded portions at spaced intervals throughout the length of the pole at the contiguous adjacent portions of the flange, I have provided a pole which not only gives horizontal strength, but one which will resist torsional twists and strain and permit the punch ing of aligned mounting holes through the center of the pole, either horizontally or vertically without impairing the strength thereof. The construction herein described is not only light in Weight, but also rigid in strength and may be substituted for the conventional wood pole.

While in the above specification I have described one embodiment which my invention may assume in practice, it will of course be underflanges of the other member, and means for securing said complementary flanges together by welding the contiguous surfaces of said flanges at spaced apart intervals.

2. A vehicle pole comprising two longitudinally extending sheet metal members of substantially channel-like formation, the opposite side walls of said members being of different height, inwardly extending and parallel flanges formed on the outer ends of each of said side walls, and means for'securing the complementary flanges of said members together by welding the contiguous portions of said flanges at spaced apart intervals.

3. A vehicle pole comprising two longitudinally extending sheet metal members of substantially channel-like formation, flanges formed on the opposite side walls of said members, said flanges being ofiset with respect to each other and with respect to a horizontal plane passing through the center of said pole, and means for securing said members together by welding the contacting surfaces of the complementary flanges on the opposite sides of said pole.

WILLIAM L. BRALEY. 

